


Father and Son

by Scribbling Mama (melgibson87)



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Father and Son talk, Father-Son Relationship, Forgiveness, Gen, Gift Fic, Heartwarming, Marinette and Adrien are getting married, Pre-wedding talk, Rebuilding Relationship, Redemption, Wedding Day, aged-up, gabriel redemption, post-reveal, redemption fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-22 18:07:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16602962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melgibson87/pseuds/Scribbling%20Mama
Summary: It's been almost ten years since the days of Hawk Moth's terror over Paris. It's been eight years since the day Adrien knew he was meant to be with Marinette forever. It's been almost six months since Gabriel has reentered their lives.Now, it's Adrien's wedding day and Gabriel's gone missing before the ceremony. Can Adrien find him in time? What will they talk about when he does? Can these two finally gain a relationship Adrien has always wanted them to have? Or has too much time passed?





	Father and Son

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fandomrandomness-stuff](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=fandomrandomness-stuff).



> This is a story requested on Tumblr by a recent winner of a giveaway I hosted there. The request was made for a redemption story between Gabriel and Adrien. Since I'm a sucker for these types of stories, I'd already had ideas swarming for this story, some including my large fic. Now, I didn't make it part of that fic, but it did give me ideas for creating a similar moment as a side story for that fic later on. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did in creating it.

“Nette outdid herself, didn’t she?” Nino glanced around the large reception room where the final preparations were being handled before the guests arrived.

“Yeah, she stayed up most of the night working on the final details. I fear she might fall asleep before she says her vows.” Adrien’s gaze followed Nino’s around the room, a large smile gracing his features as he took in the day awaiting him and the excitement churning his stomach. He couldn’t wait. An hour and counting left to go.

Nervous mumbling preceded the smartly dressed Nathalie as she neared his side.

Seeing the concern in her eyes, he moved toward her, his hand cupping her elbow and stalling her progress. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“He’s still not here. He promised he’d be here by now.” Her eyes looked around the room with a frantic motion that belied her normally stoic demeanor. “I don’t know where he could be. It’s not like your father.”

He kept his mouth shut, recalling all the important events in his past that his father had indeed missed. It’d taken him a while to discover the reason for his father’s absence. It took him even longer to forgive the man.

“Daddy said he wanted to say goodbye to someone.” Emmy chirped from beside her mother. The eight-year-old looked up at her older brother with a curious stare, waiting for him to explain it to her.

Bending down, he planted a kiss on her cheek. “Thanks, Emmy. I know where he went. I’ll be right back, okay? Will you keep Mari company? I’m sure she’d love to see you. Take your mama with you, too. I think she could use a distraction.”

Patting Nathalie’s shoulder, he gave a quick nod to Nino as he dashed out of the reception hall. He barely spared a glance behind him as he pulled out of his space and hurried toward the small cemetery near the old family mansion.

He remembered vaguely to follow the laws as he moved through traffic, pulling into the tiny parking lot fifteen minutes later.

As he slid from his seat, he caught the lone figure standing with his head bent toward the small headstone, not needing to see the name to know who it belonged to. Emilie Agreste. His mother.

Unsure if he should proceed closer or give his father an extra minute, a look at his watch persuaded him to move closer. He sidestepped several gravesites as their headstones had crumbled over the years, not slowing his pace until he neared his father’s side.

Seeing his mother’s headstone, he paused, taking in the simplistic wording at the bottom. An angel with wings outstretched as if going home stood above those few words, almost like giving flight to his mother’s spirit after being trapped for so long.

“She loved angels. I don’t know if you knew that, but you did well, Adrien. She would’ve like this.” His father’s words washed over him. He hadn’t expected praise from the man who’d given him nothing but criticism most of his life.

“I remember. She used to tell me stories about angels when I was little. I’ve tried to tell the ones I remember best to Emmy.” He reached out for the older man, his hand pausing mere centimeters away. He couldn’t make the connection between them just yet, dropping it back to his side. “Why did you come here of all days, Father? Nathalie’s worried about you. Frankly, so am I.”

The older Agreste turned toward him with a soft smile. “There’s no need for that. I just wanted a little time to speak with your mother. Tell her what a fine young man you’ve become without my help. Marinette’s a lucky woman, son.”

“I’m the lucky one. She’s beyond amazing. I’m not even sure what I did to deserve her.” He moved a step forward, closing the gap between them. His green gaze met his father’s blue one. “She’s been so patient, waiting for me to realize I deserved what I wanted. I’m not used to that. I figured she’d have left by now.”

Gabriel flinched beside him, not saying anything as Adrien stood beside him near the gravesite.

“I have a lot of regrets, son. The majority of them revolve around you.” The older man leaned on the cane he sported from an old injury. “I know a simple apology won’t suffice, but I hope it’ll be a start for us.”

Neither said anything for a moment, content to allow silence to reign as they lost themselves in their thoughts.

A gentle breeze soothed the warmth of the sun’s rays as they stood together.

“She would hate what I’ve done in her absence. I made a giant mess with you, son.” Gabriel shifted to better see his son, taking a breath. “I would like another chance with you, Adrien. Another chance to prove I can be a better father.”

Adrien heard the words but had a hard time believing the moment he’d so often dreamed about was before him. He could almost believe it too good to possibly be true. Meeting his father’s gaze, he realized he held all the power in their relationship.

In that same moment, he also realized he didn’t want it.

He sighed as his hand touched Gabriel’s shoulder, a small smile playing across his lips as an image of his bride-to-be appeared. So much hope for his future came with that image, allowing him to break the chains of his past.

“I’d like that, too, Father.” His heart lightened of the final weight it held against the older man, letting go of that final piece of anger he no longer needed. “Shall we go? We do have a bride waiting for you to walk her down the aisle.”

A smile crossed Gabriel’s typically taut features, lessening the severity of those once-menacing features. “I can’t believe she would want me beside her after all I’ve put you two through. Won’t her father suffice?”

Adrien chuckled, still a little disbelieving of Marinette’s wish of having both fathers walk her down the aisle. He’d thought her desire had been purely a token one until she’d been adamant in gaining his father’s acceptance of her request.

“Once she’s determined, I’ve learned not to question her over the years.” Patting his father’s shoulder, he allowed himself to shed the last bit of anxiety he felt over his father’s recent reappearance in their lives and the problems he caused them during their teenage years. “Besides, how do you think we managed to outwit your akumas all those years? It wasn’t because of me. Well, most of the time, it wasn’t.”

Adrien steered Gabriel toward his sportscar, intent on taking his father to the venue himself. He wasn’t about to disappoint his future bride by letting his father escape a second time. No, sir, not on his watch.

“That’s probably my biggest regret.” Gabriel paused by the passenger door, turning to meet Adrien’s brilliant gaze. “All those years I thought I was fighting for your happiness by trying to bring your mother back, but all I really did was fight against you in more ways than I care to admit.”

A bit stunned, it took a moment for Adrien to reply, unsure how this man standing before him had changed into a completely different person in such a short amount of time. He’d never thought he’d see the day come when his father would ever be apologizing to him for anything, even going so far to regret his previous actions.

Needing a lighter mood than the topic dictated, Adrien said the first thing that popped into his mind. “I guess it’s funny how ironic the entire situation was. Who would’ve thought I would be the one chosen to fight a supervillain who was also my father? Talk about owning some pretty bad luck, huh? But then, I did wield the embodiment of misfortune.”

“What do you mean ‘did’? You still do, kid.” Plagg poked his tiny head out Adrien’s jacket pocket, his eyes narrowing on the Agreste men. His tiny paw poked out, pointing at Gabriel as he hissed. “Do better this time for the kid’s sake.”

With that, he disappeared into his hiding spot, much to Adrien’s exasperation and Gabriel’s surprised amusement.

“He’s a bit feisty, isn’t he?” Gabriel mused as he lowered into the seat, his amusement splaying over his lips in a widening smile. “Is he the reason you asked for so much Camembert over the years? I always wondered.”

An embarrassing red crept over Adrien’s cheeks as he realized his kwami’s favorite snack hadn’t gone unnoticed by his father. He should’ve known with the strictness that Gabriel ruled the household, but he’d been hopeful.

Taking his time to reach the driver’s side and calming his raising blood pressure, he spared another moment to scold Plagg for divulging his presence in the first place. He didn’t get further as he noted the lateness of the hour and slid into his seat, turning the engine.

“Does Marinette still possess her kwami as well? I wonder what the little ladybug is like.” Gabriel stared out the window, his eyes reflecting in the glass. They lacked any hint of ill intent though they held a wealth of curiosity.

“Tikki is a sweetheart. She lives off cookies and other sugary treats.” Adrien offered as he pulled into traffic, heading back to the reception hall as his phone chimed, signaling a new message from someone.

Gabriel leaned over the phone and smiled. “Your fiancée is looking for you. It seems my little side trip hasn’t gone unnoticed after all. Hopefully, we won’t be in too much trouble with her.”

“Mari’s not like that.” His hands tightened on the wheel, waiting for his father’s criticism of his future bride. They relaxed when Gabriel chuckled instead. Sparing a glance at the older man, he found himself chuckling a bit and relaxing. “Sorry, Father, but she’s honestly the most forgiving and caring woman I’ve ever met.”

Gabriel’s smile didn’t lessen as he adjusted in his seat. “I know she’s not. She’s rare, son, and I’m glad you found someone who makes you so happy. You have certainly earned some happiness in your life.”

That caught Adrien by surprise as he spared another glance from the road. He couldn’t quite believe this was the same man who’d once called friends a waste of time and effort. The same man who’d pushed him through boring lessons and held him to the highest standards to protect a company image.

Looking at his father, he could almost imagine the former Gabriel Agreste disappeared the day he’d gone to prison for his crimes against Paris. He knew that man still existed, having seen some evidence since Gabriel had earned early parole six months prior to Adrien’s wedding day. Yet, there was a softness in his father he hadn’t seen since his earliest memories, a softness that he hoped would be rekindled with time.

“You know you do, too, Father. I know Emmy is happier now that you’re home and in her life full-time. So is Nathalie. She missed you more than she’d ever admit to anyone during your incarceration.” He paused not sure if he could admit the next part yet finding himself unable to remain quiet. “I hated you so much when I learned the truth. I planned on hating you the rest of my life, but Mari wouldn’t let me. She made me see what I couldn’t see before.”

“I figured she had some influence. I know the words you spoke at my sentencing weren’t completely yours, son.” Gabriel sighed. “It’s okay, too. I didn’t deserve your forgiveness then. I’m not sure I still do, but I meant it earlier. I would like to try.”

Adrien didn’t say anything as he pulled back into the reception hall’s lot, parking in the same spot he vacated. He caught a flurry of white satin racing toward them from the doorway, the sun dancing in the raven hair of the woman he loved most.

“I forgave you over a year ago, Father. I had run out of hate for you, for your past actions. I just couldn’t hold that hate anymore and be happy.” He turned to meet his father’s eyes, holding the older man’s gaze. “I think it’s time to wipe the slate clean and do better this time around for everyone’s sake. Agreed?”

He held out his hand, hoping his father wouldn’t fail him a second time as Marinette reached his side of the car. Standing there, she looked more like an angel than anyone had any right to look. He smiled as his father’s hand slid into his, the older man’s eyes on his future daughter-in-law as well.

“Agreed, son. Now, let’s get you married.”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Tumblr](http://scribblingmama.tumblr.com)


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